Andrea here, musing today about these fraught times and the very personal things we can do to somehow stay happy and hopeful amid all the uncertainty and chaos that seems to be gripping our times. This past week, several of us Wenches were sharing on our group loop about having had a lovely day getting together with old friends/family, and how wonderful it had been to laugh together and enjoy the small pleasures of life—lunch, shopping for herbs and clay pots, celebrating a longtime friend getting an academic award . . .
It made me stop and think about what is most calming and uplifting for me. And I realized that two elemental things top the list—being with family/longtime friends and being out in Nature. I recently did a trip that combined both, which was really special.
My niece is teaching at San Jose State University and living in San Francisco, and as my older brother and his wife were visiting, her I shot out to join up with everyone—including my niece’s one-year-old. And as we are all avid outdoors people, we wanted to do some exploring.
While I’ve been to San Francisco a few times, I haven’t gotten out into the wonderful countryside outside the city, and its spectacular beauty—starting with the Golden Gate Bridge—was amazing.
We all love to walk/hike, and the Marin Headlands park, right across the bridge is a stunning area of craggy cliffs and magnificent ocean views. The light and mists are constantly changing, as is the sea. I love how it reminds me of the natural ebb and flow of life, The world is in constant flux—things are constantly changing. In some ways, there’s a comfort in knowing that’s simply the flow of the universe when personally I’m feeling like the world I know is shifting under my feet.
I find that it’s hard not to put current issues into a different perspective when I’m looking out over the sublime eons-old power and beauty of Nature.
From the ocean we moved inland to Muir Woods for the next few days—a majestic forest of giant redwoods. It was my first sight of these incredible trees, and the aura of light, quiet, space and harmony between all the elements of the area really do make it feel like a cathedral.
It was especially nice to do it with my brother. He tolerated me tagging along with him in childhood—yes, I still like hanging out with him! It’s really nice that we enjoy each other’s company now.
I certainly felt a wonderful sense of peace in Muir Woods . . . these trees, which have seen much over the thousand-plus years of their existence, have somehow weathered the vicissitudes of Life with steadfast calm. (Maybe if we all took a daily walk among redwoods, the world would chill out!) It makes me think of this wonderful quote from Thoreau:
“I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright.”
Then it was out of the woods and time to enjoy a sojourn to wine country in Sonoma. The drive up the coast before heading inland was another view of the endlessly interesting lands-meets-ocean experience.
My niece had set up a wine tasting at a small vineyard that she and her husband enjoy. Chardonnay, pinot noir . . . yes, one can’t help but feel mellow when sipping fabulous wine from the local vineyards. (Another lesson in civilization that the ancient Greeks passed on to us!) And as you can see, we all felt it’s never too early to educate the younger generation on the pleasures that lie ahead!
It was a memorable trip, and I’ve been mindful to keep finding ways to enjoy the same pleasures—the beauties of family/friendships and the the sense of peace and timelessness in Nature.
What about you? Do you have any special rituals or activities these days to help stay happy and calm?
What a wonderful trip, Andrea! I lived in the Bay Area for a couple of years right after college, and totally agree about the beauty of the area, fog and all! Your pictures are lovely, too. How great that you could discover that part of the world and share it with family!
Thanks, Mary Jo. It’s really an amazing area of fabulous and different landscapes—and so close to the city! No wonder there are so many outdoorsy people all around on bikes and hiking. It’s so easy to get outside and in the wilderness.
And it was so much fun to explore it with my family. We really had a wonderful time together.
What a lovely post, Andrea; I’m glad you had such a wonderful time with your family. I lived in the greater Bay Area for some fifteen years and there are wonderful places to visit. (There is also horrific traffic which I admittedly find daunting.)
My best ways to keep happy and calm are being with family and friends, reading, and eating chocolate!
Thanks, Kareni! I was amazed at how quickly one get get to real wilderness from the city. Her in the NYC area, that’s really hard.
Your list is perfect! (Chocolate is a given, ha, ha.)
Dogs, seeing friends, warm feet, coffee ice cream, handsome men, Godiva milk chocolate, classic rock, and doing my makeup and putting together an outfit. Not necessarily in that order.
What a lovely list, Susan! I’m coming and hanging out with you!
Lovely blog, Andrea. You have reminded me that there are some gorgeous parks and forests only an hour from my home, and that I should get out there and soak them up. Here are a few:
https://www.timeout.com/melbourne/travel/you-can-visit-this-magical-forest-just-an-hour-outside-melbourne
The sounds and scents and sights of the forest and letting it surround you is such an invigorating and calming thing to do.
Thanks, Anne. I really find the outdoors calming and restorative, and the redwood forest was an absolute wonder! The sense of quiet and peace was really palpable. I loved it.
Your spot looks wonderful, too. lease go and take pictures to share here!
I feel so calm and restored walking through Central Park in NYC. There is also the areas of old forests, farther north of Manhattan in Inwood Hill Park. It’s more unspoiled by development.
Central Park is wonderful. It’s such a gift to have in the heart of the city.
There a wonderful garden up in the Bronx, too—I can’t remember the name,but it has an amazing selection of huge specimen trees. Very beautiful, tranquil spot—and you can see the George Washington Bridge in the distance.
I have been to San Francisco once. A college friend who resides there, and who is a member of the Fine Arts Museum, took me on a visit. I loved the architecture of the museum, it’s wonderful exhibits, and the astounding vistas from its heights.
Personally, daily meditation, reading good books, sharing time with good friends and family members all bring me solace. There is a large tree-filled and pleasant county park nearby, but in the heart of our village there is a park with a small lake with swimming and fishing areas, a hiking path, beautiful plantings, benches, a gazebo and other features that form an oasis of calm in a residential area.
Patricia, those are all great way to “unwind.” Your village park sounds lovely. I think it’s so important to have Nature accessible.
What a wonderful trip you had, Andrea. Love the pictures. I do love to walk – very calming for me. I also love to sit on my screen porch with a book & a glass of California wine- maybe from Sonoma.
Thanks, Jeanne. That porch, book and Sonoma wine sounds like a perfect combo!
Muir Woods and the whole SF Bay area is gorgeous. I too get a lot of happiness and satisfaction from being out in nature. Very often it’s just in my own backyard. Although I have a small suburban plot of land, after 30 years it’s full of wonderful perennials that I look forward to every year, as they bloom in succession-daffodils, lilacs, viburnum, wisteria, and now the peonies are opening up. I also love my little vegetable garden. Watching the birds in the backyard is another pleasure, especially our pair of hummingbirds who return like clockwork every year, at the beginning of May. I often make a pot of tea and sit outside on the patio with a book-but then I see a weed and get up to pull it, and before you know it, I’ve got dirt stains on my pants, a pile of weeds, and the tea has gone cold!
Karin, your garden oasis sounds marvelous. It must be a treat for all the senses when it’s in full bloom. Sitting outside reading in a beautiful setting is SUCH a relaxing thing to do (assuming you’re not jumping up too often for weeds)
What a lovely post, Andrea! Brings back memeorkes of visiting my Aunt and Uncle and cousin who lived in Palo Alto when I was very young a d also in my twenties. We had such fun not only visiting San Fran, bur also so many of the state and national parks.
Listening to music, reading a good, fun book(like yours!), getting together with friends
for lunch or tea, going to the park by the Long Island Sound and watching the waves, sailboats and birds frolic in the water, sitting among the flowers in the small garden in front of our Public Library, doing a jigsaw puzzle , doing my needlepoint are all calming
and make me happy and shut out the craziness iof the world for awhile.